The present invention relates to stationery items, such as file folders and loose-leaf dividers, report dividers or organizers having tabs. The invention relates to folders of the hanging type, as well as loose filing folders.
Conventional hanging folders 101 have plastic tabs 102 that can be positioned in plural, discreet positions along a top edge of the folder, as shown in FIG. 1. In conventional usage, shown in FIG. 2 hanging folders 101 are arrayed in a row, one behind the other, within a file drawer 201 having suitable supports 202. The plastic tabs 102 have wing portions 103 that are inserted into slots 104 disposed at each of the discrete positions. In order to make the tabs on folders further back in the file drawer visible, most users of such files stagger the positioning of the tabs for example in a sequence from left to right that repeats every three or five folders, or the like, as shown in the front portion 203 of the drawer 201 of FIG. 2. However, when the files need to be repositioned or when files need to be added or deleted from a file drawer, the pattern with which the tabs had previously been staggered is disrupted, leaving one or more tabs 205 further forward in the drawer, possibly obscuring one or more of the tabs 206 further back in the drawer, as shown in the back portion 204 of the drawer 201 of FIG. 2. The user must then remove the plastic tabs from positions at which they have been placed, and they must then be reattached to hanging folders at new positions, re-establishing the desired staggered pattern.
Conventional loose filing folders such as manila folders are often used to create sub-files, also referred to as inside folders, within hanging folders, or may be used in loose filing drawers or boxes of their own. Manila folders 301 are conventionally precut, usually with each having a tab at one of three or five staggered positions 302 along a top edge 303, as shown in FIG. 3. By selecting a sequence of folders where the tabs of one folder do not overlap the tab of an immediately succeeding folder, the tabs of each succeeding folder are made relatively more visible, as shown in the front portion 401 of the drawer of FIG. 4. However, as with the hanging folders, when the filing system must be updated, or when individual file folders are replaced or changed the staggered pattern may be disrupted as shown in the back portion 402 of the drawer of FIG. 4. Again, a tab 403 further forward in the drawer may obscure a tab 404 further back in the drawer. Because the manila folders do not have repositionable/adjustable tabs, they are frequently discarded when changing the filing system or when the file tabs become damaged or tattered. In some cases adhesive labels may be applied over the tabs and new markings then made. While discarding manila folders that now have tabs in the wrong positions due to a rearrangement of the filing system is wasteful, re-labeling and reusing folders is difficult and sloppy.
What is needed is an improved tab system for file folders, hanging file folders, loose-leaf dividers, report dividers, organizers and the like.